Pentagon No. 2 to step down after four years in top defense jobs

October 10, 2013|Reuters

WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Deputy Defense SecretaryAshton Carter has decided to resign effective Dec. 4 after morethan four years of service in senior Pentagon jobs, DefenseSecretary Chuck Hagel said in a statement on Thursday.

Carter has served as the Pentagon's number two officialunder Hagel and his predecessor, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.He was the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer under DefenseSecretary Robert Gates.

"Ash has been extraordinarily loyal and effective as deputysecretary, both for me and Secretary Panetta," Hagel said. "Hepossesses an unparalleled knowledge of every facet of America'sdefense enterprise, having worked directly and indirectly for 11secretaries of defense over the course of his storied career."